Loose leaf binder



June 20, 1933. H. B. BROWN LOOSE LEAF BINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwue/fitoz HOMEPB BROWN Filed Oct. 15, 1831 June 20, 1933. 3 BROWN 1,914,968

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I r A/OMMEEPOW/V Patented June 2%, lQZlEB HOMER B, BRGWN, QTAQHVEMLT', TENNES$EE noosn BREWER Application filed Uctoher 15, 1931. Serial lilo. 569,08t).

My invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders, and is particularly adapted and designed for binding and retaining in proper order the leaves of a record book of a desired or determined size, although the binder is not limited in its use and may be employed for any purpose where it would serve its function in an eiiicient manner.

\ One object of my invention is the provision of a loose leaf binder which will permit the easy and instant insertion or removal of the leaves and which will retain the leaves in perfect positionbetween the hinged covers of the book."

Another object of my invention is the provision of a binder structure which may be applied to various tvpes of cover structures and which will make a complete boolr of the m size Or capacitv desired. Another obiect of mv invention is the provision of a loose leaf binder which can be easily applied to the back and covers of the book and which will hold the leaves in perfeet register or alignment while allowing ready inspection of the leaves of the boolr.

Another object of my invention is the pro vision of a structure which can be easily'applied and which will be ornamental in appearance, which will be simple strong and durable in construction and capable of production at a low price. I

With these objects in view my invention consists of a loose leaf hinder embodying novel features of construction and combination of parts suhstantiallv as described and claimed and as shown in the accompanying" drawings. in which:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a book provided or equipped with my loose leaf binder one of the covers of the book being thrown baclr to show the location of one of the hinged members of mv invention.

Figure 2 represents a perspective view on an enlarged scale showing the complete structure in place with reference to the back covers of the boolr.

Figure 3 represents a central sectional view through the book and binder structure w th all position they occupy i U ew when the book is closed and leaves are bound to capacity.

Figure t represents a perspective view of the invention with the covers of the book open a and the upper and lower members and the end and central posts in engaged position,

Figure 5 represents a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4-.

Figure 6 represents a plan view of the main parts which compose the upper and lower structures of the binder.

Figure 7 represents a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Figure 4, and

Figure 8 represents a perspective view of one of the end posts or leaf engaging members of my binder.

Referring by numerals to the drawings in which the same numbers of reference denote the same parts in all the views:

The numeral 1, designates the covers, 2 the back or connecting strip and 3, the leaves which are to be bound between the covers.

Fitted in proper relation to said back strip are the vertical plates l, provided with sleeves 5, which register with sleeves 6, on the strips '4', which are secured to the covers, and said sleeves also align with the sleeves 8, on the upper and lower members 9,'and through said registering sleeves pass the rods 10, which thus serve to hinge the covers to the plate t at one side and the upper and lower members at the other or inner side.

lhe said hinged members are of rectangular form and hollow throughout to provide 35, what may be termed casings or housings The upper and lower rectangular hollow casings 9 are identical in form and are provided with openings 11, in their opposite walls and with a central opening 12, in the opposite walls, and these openings are of elongated or oblong form to receive the flat end posts 13, or the flat intermediate post 14:, whose function will presently appear The opening 12 in the channelled member 5. or pressure bar 16 is in line and registers with the opening 12 in casing 9 such openings being most clearly shown in Figure 6.

The upper and lower casing members are each formed in their front portion with a cut out or spaced portion 15, which exposes and permits pressure upon the channelled members 16, carrying pins 17, near each end to bear when pressure is applied against the arms 18, of the locking member '19 and re- 5 lease tongues 20, from engagement with the openings 21 which form latch keepers for said tongues, in the posts 13, said tongues 20 being formed at each end of the spring arms 18, and the said locking member 19, is provided with a lug 19, at its center which serves to hold said locking member in proper relation to the pressure member 16 and the housings or casings.

From this construction it will be noted that the upper and lower casings 9 are hinged to the mounting or anchoring plates 4 and that either of said casings may be moved to allow the end openings 11, to be passed over the end posts, which retain the leaves in proper register and after the entire number of leaves have been placed upon the end posts the intermediate post 14, has its ends fitted in the openings 12, in the casing members and the complete book is bound in a most practical manner.

The leaves which comprise the book may be inserted from either the upper or lower side as both casing members are identical in structure and house the same structures, and when it is desired to place the leaves in position-for binding the posts are locked in place in one of the casings which exposes the other ends of the posts and this allows the openings of the leaves to be placed in order upon the free ends of said posts, and as soon as the leaves have been properly filed on the posts, the hinged free casing is lowered and looked upon the posts and the leaves bound in perfectform.

It will be noted that briefly stated my loose leaf binder consists of a back or anchoring plate which is disposed in proper relation to the back and covers of the book, twin strips hinged to the upper and lower edges of said back plate, box shaped or rectangular casings connected with said strips and formed with a cut out portion in their front wall and also having a series of vertical openings, posts which pass through the leaves or sheets to be bound with their ends passing into the openings of the casings, and looking means mounted in said casings and having an operating means exposed in the cut away portion of said casings to be actuated by pressure of the finger.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings the detailed construction and the operation of my binder willbe easily and readily understood and its many advantages be fully appreciated, and it will be apparent that the structure (an be applied with facility to any character of book covers and back strip; that the structure will fit nicely in place and make an ornamental appearance; that the leaves of binder as a whole is simple, durable and inexpensive to manufacture and thoroughly efficient and practical in every particular.

I claim:

1. In a loose leaf binder of the character described, in combination with hinged covers, twin upper and lower casing members, leaf receiving members adapted to connect said upper and lower casing members, and pressure actuated locking members housed in said casin g members trar sversely movable thereof and engaging said leaf receiving members for holding said leaf receiving members in proper relation, said casing being of box or rectangular shape and having a cut away portion in their front wall to permit pressure upon the locking members in said casings to actuate said locking members.

2. A loose leaf binder of the character described, comprising a mounting element, a pair of casings associated with said mounting element, a series of leaf retaining members associated with said casing members, locking members mounted for transverse movement within each of said casings engaging and retaining the leaf retaining members, and said locking members each having means mounted in its respective casing and serving as lock holding and spacing elements, said casings being of box or rectangular shape and having a cut away portion in their front wall to permit pressure upon the locking members in said casings to actuate said looking members.

3. A loose leaf binder, comprising a mounting element, casings connected with said mounting element, leaf retaining members between said casings having latch keepers,

locking members in said casings movable transversely thereof and-having tongues engaging said keepers, and means for holdingsaid locking members in proper-relation, sai casings being of box or rectangular shape and having a cut away portion in their front wall to permit pressure upon the locking members in said casings to actuate said locking members.

4. A loose leaf binder of the character described, comprising a mounting element, twin hinged casings at the upper and lower edges of said element, said casings being each of box or rectangular form and having a cut away portion in its front wall, a pressure receiving member housed in each of said casings and having a portion exposed to receive pressure through the cut away portion of said casing, end posts having their ends fitted in the opposite walls of said casings and provided with openings forming latch keepers, a spring locking member engageable with said pressure receiving member and having tongues to normally engage said keepers of said posts, and adapted to be released when pressure is applied to said pressure member.

5. A loose leaf binder, comprising a back strip, twin plates hinged to said back strip, twin casings connected to said plates, vertical posts having their ends adapted topass into said casings, and a locking means for engaging said posts and enclosed within said casings and movable transversely thereof and adapted to receive pressure for actuating said locking means.

6. A loose leaf binder, comprising a back strip, twin casings hinged to said back strip and each having a cut away portion in its front wall and a series of openings in one of its side walls, posts for securing the leaves or sheets and having their ends passing into said openings, locking means in said casings and movable transversely thereof for engaging said posts, and pressure bars for actuating said locking means each having an eX-- posed portion in the cut away portion of its casing to receive transverse pressure for operating said locking means.

7. In a loose leaf binder of the character described, in combination with hinged covers, upper and lower casing members, leaf engaging and retaining members mounted between said casing members, locking members mounted within said casing members for transverse movement relatively thereto and engageable with said retaining members, and a separate leaf engaging member arranged between said leaf retaining members and en- 'gaging said casing members, said casing members each having a cut away portion in its front wall to permit pressure upon the locking members in said casing members to actuate said locking members.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HOMER B. BROWN. 

